SARS More Deadly Than Expected

First case confirmed in RussiaAs Russia confirms the first case of SARS in the Far East, the World Health Organization has issued data which indicates that the real death rate is far higher than originally expected: in the over-60 age group, the chances of survival are 50-50.

The WHO claims that the age group is an important factor in the survival rate of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, revising previously-held opinions that the death rate was 4%. Based on the latest data from Canada, Vietnam, China (including Hong Kong) and Singapore, it has stated that the real death date is overall 14-15% and up to 50% in the senior citizen age bracket.

Underlying disease also increases the incidence of complications people with already damaged lungs are far more likely to suffer serious consequences than those who are otherwise healthy. In persons 24 years of age or younger, the death rate is 1%, in the 25-44 age group, 6% while in the age group between 45 and 64, it is 15% and over 50% among people over 65.

The incubation period of the disease is estimated at 10 days. The WHO states that the seriousness of the disease depends on underlying health, access to prompt medical care and amount of viral load (quantity of the virus in the system).